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Wow, I've had a busy and challenging day! This morning I decided it was time to have a go at creating a new logo for Julie Walton - Handmade beaded Jewellery.

For a while now, I've had a favourite necklace and, what I think, is a fab photo of it (particularly as a lot of my photos are not as good as I'd like)! My husband and I also liked the look of my "new look" Blog, which I tackled about a week ago, so with those two in mind I have come up with this using Microsoft Powerpoint, which I'm really pleased with.

Next step was to upload it to Facebook - no problem. Then Twitter - oops, couldn't get that to work until I realised that the file size was too large so the photo had to be resaved as a .jpg which resolved the problem.

Then I realised that I had followed a number of people on Blogger via Twitter which was showing as my old photo. What I really wanted to do was follow everyone using Google. How do I stop following blogs I currently follow via Twitter? Well, I didn't know how I'd done it in the first place so that was already a problem! Then I found a link to a blog post that described the problem.

Well, that was OK but I obviously didn't really understand the answer so after a lot of tinkering, the answer finally fell into place. Now, all links to Blogs I follow are via Google with the logo above showing. Yeh, a successful day, and I'm now more knowledgeable than I was this morning!

Click on this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costume_jewelry for a great description of Fashion Jewellery, otherwise known as Costume Jewellery.

I am a person that hates throwing anything away and therefore, takes time over buying anything (not just jewellery). I would rather pay more for what I really want knowing that it will last years. In the past, with jewellery though, the choices were limited: the High Street Jeweller with very fine, petit pieces that did nothing for me, or were out of my price range, or fashion jewellery which was much more exciting but had a relatively short life. Luckily, today, there is so much more choice.

However, over the years I have purchased some lovely, fashion jewellery but have got frustrated when a favourite piece started to look tatty and I still wanted to wear it, or it has been made from a Copper based material which reacts with my skin, leaving me surrounded by an unpleasant metallic aroma.

Now I have no excuse. With some of the pieces I love, there is the opportunity to refresh them replacing cheap plastic crystals and pearls with Swarovski Crystallized Elements and gemstones, the Brass or worn out silver plated chain with Sterling Silver and chunky Silver Plated charms that are now more coppery than silver with Precious Metal Clay, something I’ve not had a go at yet!

Today is the day I start, with a lovely green necklace on a Brass chain!

I'm really looking forward to my next show on September 2/3/4 where Julie Walton Jewellery will have a stand in the Rural Crafts Association marquee at Chatsworth Country Fair. It isn't a place I've taken my jewellery before, and with attendance reported as being around 100,000 there's an air of anticipation and nervousness around the house, particularly as I'm a perfectionist and everything has to look just so for me to be happy with it.

However, there is lots of preparation to do beforehand to ensure the stand looks really professional. We have to bring the whole stand with us so Son and I are off to collect stand fittings and associated paraphernalia such as curtains, extra lighting, etc, from Mum and Dad's today so we can do a 'dummy run' at the weekend. My Mum, Jean Martin Originals, has been in the business for a number of years and is well kitted out for this type of fair, than goodness!

Over the past few weeks I have been busy ordering extra display equipment, most of which arrived yesterday, and a banner (which I am really excited about) so if you do go to the Fair, look out for me and please come and say 'Hi'.

Thankfully, most of the orders have arrived now and I can turn my attention back to making jewellery. I already have some lovely pieces (two pretty coin and stick pearl necklaces with the most amazing

Thai Karen Hill tribe silver clasps and a bold, modern looking facetted, matt black Onyx and Sterling Silver necklace) waiting to go to the Assay Office for hallmarking but I don't want to be too hasty in taking them as there may be more. Luckily, the Birmingham Assay Office provides a quick and professional service. I'm also expecting a delivery of Swarovski Crystallized Elements today, so hopefully there'll be some glitz on the stand too.

As the wedding season approaches, so does summer. White has always been the favourite for wedding dresses, and continues to be. If you’re in the final stages of planning your wedding your thoughts will be turning to the finishing touches for the big day. So what could be more apt than to purchase a piece of my handmade jewellery to match your dress? White freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystal pearls, Murano glass hearts or simply silver in so many designs – necklaces, pendants, bracelets and earrings.....

My jewellery is classic yet contemporary, and will last for many years to come. Not only will it be ideal for the big day, but it can be worn afterwards with linens, jeans, chiffon, evening wear....the list is endless.

And what about the bridesmaids? Why not also consider a piece of my jewellery as a gift for them. The Children’s Birthstone bracelets are ideal for the younger bridesmaids, and many of my other pieces of jewellery, including the Murano Hearts and Swarovski Crystal Pearl pendants, ideal for the older ones.

Let’s not forget the Mother of the Bride, and other wedding guests. Team your outfit up with a Swarovski Crystal Pearl and Crystal Rondelle bracelet with matching pendant and earrings. The pearls and crystals come in a wide range of colours (I only have a few available in the shop at present but ask, and I can get other colours). Ironically, the Swarovski Crystal Pearl pendants came about as a result of my Sister-in-Law, the Mother of the Groom, wanting a necklace to match her dress and other pieces of jewellery. The pendant, in Night Blue, looked fabulous on her, and so many people commented on it, that I decided to make more in other colours.

Have just spend a lovely, family day out at the Rock, Gem 'n' Bead Show, Newark Showground. Apart from the tortuous route there, caused by major road works the other side of Nottingham, the journey was OK and we came home a much quicker route, thank goodness.

Oh, how I love going to these bead fairs! I feel like a kiddie in a sweet shop - don't know what to buy first, am I making the right decision and spending my money wisely, and what am I going to do my purchases once I've got them. Unfortunately, there's always the problem of keeping my son entertained whilst I am doing all this - hubby generally not a problem as he's very supportive and likes to have his input into what I buy. Thank goodness for the Nintendo DS....whoever had that idea should have a medal.

Today, however, was different. Normally, we go to Bead Fair's, but today it was also a Rock Fair, and my son loves rocks! So, left to his own devices, we got to look round at leisure whilst my son spent his time wandering round on his own being the "kiddie in the sweet shop"! I have to say, I also love rocks .... think I took the wrong career path and maybe I should have been a Geologist! Anyway, after having spent his money, I then had to make up my mind fairly quickly as to what I wanted to buy. No problem....beads, beads, beads and more beads.

As I have quite a lot at the moment, I had to curtail my enthusiasm. However, I have still come home with some fab, blue/green sea glass, gorgeous pink Rhodachosite rounds in two sizes and amazing matt, Amethyst rounds and tubes, some of which I've had previously. Ohhh, what to do with them. I have already got some ideas forming so watch this space......

The Songkran festival, Thai New Year, is celebrated in Thailand from 13 to 15 April and has traditionally been celebrated as the New Year for many centuries. It is believed to have been adapted from an Indian festival, where they believed that April was a sign of new life and marked the beginning of a New Year. The most famous Songkran celebrations are in the northern city of Chiang Mai, where it continues for six days and even longer.

As anyone who has looked at my products will have guessed by now, I am an avid fan of Thai Karen Hill tribe silver which comes from Chaing Mai. These unique and beautiful pieces are guaranteed to be more than 99.9% pure silver and have been individually crafted by the Hill Tribe Artisans with only hand and hammer.

Below is a selection of pieces I have for sale containing this beautiful Thai Karen Hill tribe silver.